We pair this typical Marche dish with a local wine made from the native Lacrima grape: the Marche Rosse Costa Lisiano 2022 Podere Vito Cardinali.
Ingredients for 4 persons:
1 whole rabbit (about 1.5 kg), already gutted; 150 g taut bacon or lard; 3-4 cloves of garlic; 1 sprig of rosemary; 2 sprigs of wild fennel (or fennel seeds); 1 glass of dry white wine; Extra-virgin olive oil; Salt and pepper to taste.
Directions:
Wash the rabbit under running water and dry it well. If the butcher has not already done so, cut it open so it can be stuffed.
Finely chop the bacon (or lard) along with the garlic cloves, rosemary and wild fennel. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Spread the aromatic mince inside the rabbit, trying to cover the entire inside surface. Close the rabbit and, if necessary, tie it with kitchen twine to keep its shape.
In a large casserole or baking dish, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Brown the rabbit on all sides over medium-high heat until evenly browned.
Pour the white wine into the saucepan and let it evaporate completely.
Cover the casserole with a lid and lower the heat. Cook the rabbit for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, turning it occasionally and basting it with the cooking juices. If it gets too dry, add a little hot stock or water.
Once cooked, let the rabbit rest for a few minutes. Cut it into pieces and serve hot, accompanied by roasted potatoes or seasonal vegetables.
Tip: rabbit in porchetta is even tastier if prepared in advance and allowed to rest for a few hours, so the flavors can blend better.
Wine pairing:
(Edited by Stefania Vinciguerra)
Marche Rosso Costa Lisiano 2022 Podere Vito Cardinali
Bright and luminous ruby. Fruity and aromatic on the nose with light notes of mint, red citrus, rose petals, wild strawberries and currants. Composed and saline on the palate, warm, fine, extremely pleasant and delightfully drinkable.
Production area: vineyards near which runs a small stream called Lisciano (from which the name of the wine derives) at an elevation of more than 200 meters above sea level. The soils, facing southeast, are mixed clay and sandy with a strong limestone component, which is particularly important as this characteristic gives finesse of aroma and elegance to the wines.
Grapevine: 100% Lacrima. Vineyards grown organically without chemical weeding and with the practice of grassing and green manure.
Harvest: mid-September. Grapes are harvested by hand, with the best grapes selected.
Vinification: long Maceration with a subsequent very soft extraction. Maturation in steel on fine lees for about 6 months. Filtered and bottled in March.
Curiosity: The Costa Lisiano wine label depicts the characteristic Ronda walkways built into the 13th-century city walls of Morro D’Alba. It is from here that the estate’s grounds and winery are visible, and it is here that Vito, still a child, saw his own dream born in him day by day.